A "withdrawal" period is required from the time antibiotics are administered before the bird can be slaughtered. This assures that no residues are present in the bird's system. FSIS randomly samples poultry at slaughter and tests for residues. Under the Federal meat and poultry inspection laws, any raw meat or poultry shown to contain residues above established tolerance levels is considered adulterated and must be condemned. NO HORMONES have been approved for use in turkeys.

*Forecast

This poultry label rule addresses a truth-in-labeling issue, not food safety, because most pathogenic bacteria do not multiply or multiply very slowly at normal refrigerator temperatures. The Agency concluded that the term "fresh" should not be used on the labeling of raw poultry products that have been chilled to the point they are hard to the touch.

• "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. The product should be purchased before the date expires.
• "Best if Used By" date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
• "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product. A retailer may legally sell fresh or processed meat and poultry beyond the expiration date on the package as long as the product is wholesome. It is also legal for a retailer to change a date on wholesome fresh meat and poultry that has been cut up and wrapped in the meat department of the supermarket. It is not legal to modify a label on a product packaged under federal inspection. If a product has an expired date and the food remains wholesome, the product may continue to be offered for sale but the expired date cannot be altered, changed or covered up by a new date.

FSIS requires mandatory nutrition labeling for most turkey products except the raw, single-ingredient products such as turkey breast. Voluntary nutrition labeling on the raw, single-ingredient turkey product is encouraged. As an alternative to providing nutrition information on the label, manufacturers of turkey products that fall in the voluntary nutrition labeling category also may provide nutrition information through point-of-purchase materials, such as pamphlets, wall posters, and videos.

Only small quantities of poultry have been treated. Packages of irradiated poultry would be easily recognizable at the store because they must carry the green, international radiation logo as well as the words "Treated with Irradiation" or "Treated by Irradiation."

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness in humans. It is found in the intestinal tracts of chickens, turkeys, cattle, swine, sheep, dogs, cats, rodents, monkeys, some wild birds and some asymptomatic humans. It has also been found in water, soil and sewage sludge. Avoiding cross contamination and proper cooking prevent infection by this bacterium.

Staphylococcus aureus can be carried on human skin, in infected cuts and pimples, in nasal passages and throats. They are spread by improper food handling. Always wash hands and utensils before preparing and serving food. Cooked foods that will not be served immediately should be refrigerated in shallow, covered containers. Perishable foods should not be left at room temperature more than 2 hours. Temperature abuse can allow the bacteria to grow and produce staphylococcal enterotoxin. Thorough cooking destroys staphylococcal bacterial cells, but staphylococcal enterotoxin is not destroyed by heat, refrigeration and freezing.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria are common in the intestines of humans and animals and in milk, soil, leafy vegetables, and food processing environments. It can grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures. It is destroyed by cooking but a cooked product can be contaminated by poor personal hygiene. Observe "keep refrigerated" and "use-by dates" on labels.

• If dinner is picked up or delivered HOT, the FOOD must be kept at 140° F or above if eating within 2 hours. It's not a good idea to try and keep the foods hot longer than 2 hours.
• If holding the foods longer than 2 hours, remove all stuffing from the turkey cavity, divide the turkey into smaller pieces and refrigerate everything in separate, shallow containers. Reheat thoroughly to 165° F until hot and steaming.
• If cooked and refrigerated, keep cold foods cold. Refrigerate immediately upon arrival at home (always within 2 hours). Serve the meal within 2 days. Reheating a whole cooked turkey is NOT recommended. However, cooked turkeys with the USDA inspection seal on the packaging have been processed under controlled conditions. Follow package directions for reheating, and storing these products.
• On cooked frozen turkey, look for the USDA inspection seal. It tells that the turkey was prepared in a USDA inspected plant. Read and follow package directions for thawing, reheating and storing. If there are no directions on the label, thaw the wrapped cooked frozen turkey on a tray in the refrigerator. The thawed turkey may be eaten cold. To eat it hot, cut the meat off the bone and slice the breast meat; legs and wings may be left whole. Reheat thoroughly to 165° F until hot and steaming.

• It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Allow about 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.
• Turkey may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes to be sure it stays cold.
• Turkey defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed.

When testing for doneness of COOKED TURKEY rubbery pink meat and pink juices are a sign that the turkey needs additional cooking. If the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 180°F, the juices have no pink color and the meat is tender but has a pink color, it should be safe to eat. The pink color in safely cooked turkey is due to the hemoglobin in tissues which can form a heat-stable color. This can also happen when smoking, grilling or oven cooking a turkey.

Product

Weight

Unstuffed timing

Stuffed Timing

Breast, Half

2 to 3 pounds

50 to 60 minutes

Not applicable

Breast, Whole

4 to 6 pounds

1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours

Not applicable

Breast, Whole

6 to 8 pounds

2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hours

3 to 3 1/2 hours

Whole turkey

8 to 12 pounds

2 3/4 to 3 hours

3 to 3 1/2 hours

12 to 14 pounds

3 to 3 3/4 hours

3 1/2 to 4 hours

14 to 18 pounds

3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours

4 to 4 1/4 hours

18 to 20 pounds

4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours

4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours

20 to 24 pounds

4 1/2 to 5 hours

4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

Drumsticks

3/4 to 1 pound each

2 to 2 1/4 hours

Not applicable

Thighs

3/4 to 1 pound each

1 3/4 to 2 hours

Not applicable

Wings, wing drumettes

6 to 8 ounces each

1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours

Not applicable